It’s no secret that Greg Bird has had a little trouble remaining healthy in his major league career thus far. A few years ago, he had shoulder problems. Last year, he fouled a ball off of his ankle in spring training that ultimately required surgery. This year, a bone spur emerged in his ankle that was surgically removed.
“The more I was on it, the worse it got,” Bird told the New York Daily News back in April. “I couldn’t stand by the end of [one] game.” The Yankees’ depth was tested and they used a combination of Neil Walker and the recently traded Tyler Austin at first base in the interim.